.Egyptian Journalists on Trial Over Vote
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Three journalists and a lawyer went on trial Sunday on libel charges over publishing a list of judges alleged to have condoned fraud during Egypt's parliamentary elections last year.
If convicted, they face up to two years in prison under an article of the press law that President Hosni Mubarak promised more than two years ago would be amended to cancel prison terms in libel cases.
The case arose when two reformist judges of the country's highest appellate court alleged fellow judges supervising staggered elections in November and December condoned fraud. The polls were marred by police blockades in opposition strongholds and allegations of ballot stuffing.
The independent weeklies Sawt el-Umma and Afaq Arabiya published the list of judges alleged to have condoned fraud. It did not give the judges' full names but instead gave their initials and the constituencies where they oversaw polling.
The defendants are Wael el-Abrashi, executive editor of Sawt el-Umma; Hoda Abu Bakr, a journalist at the same publication; Abdel Hakim Abdel Hamid, a reporter at Afaq Arabiya, and lawyer Gamal Tag el-Din who is alleged to have provided the journalists with the list.
"The judges named on the black list should be put on trial - not the journalists," el-Abrashi told reporters at the courtroom.
About 800 journalists, civil rights activists, and lawyers crowded into the small court room Sunday to express support for the accused.
The trial judge adjourned the proceedings to let defense lawyers study the case. The next session is scheduled for Sept. 16.
The trial follows disciplinary hearings this spring of Judges Mahmoud Mekki and Hesham el-Bastawisy for telling the press that some judges supervising polling stations condoned fraud. They said they had documents proving their claims, but did not make public any names.
In May, the board reprimanded el-Bastawisy but cleared Mekki.
Hundreds of protesters expressing solidarity with the judges were arrested in April and May. Many remain in custody.
Several journalists have been sentenced to prison in recent years for libeling senior government officials or for publishing false information, but none is currently incarcerated. In some cases, the sentences were suspended at the request of the plaintiff after the publication apologized.
MyWay
I hope Zeyad is reading.
If convicted, they face up to two years in prison under an article of the press law that President Hosni Mubarak promised more than two years ago would be amended to cancel prison terms in libel cases.
The case arose when two reformist judges of the country's highest appellate court alleged fellow judges supervising staggered elections in November and December condoned fraud. The polls were marred by police blockades in opposition strongholds and allegations of ballot stuffing.
The independent weeklies Sawt el-Umma and Afaq Arabiya published the list of judges alleged to have condoned fraud. It did not give the judges' full names but instead gave their initials and the constituencies where they oversaw polling.
The defendants are Wael el-Abrashi, executive editor of Sawt el-Umma; Hoda Abu Bakr, a journalist at the same publication; Abdel Hakim Abdel Hamid, a reporter at Afaq Arabiya, and lawyer Gamal Tag el-Din who is alleged to have provided the journalists with the list.
"The judges named on the black list should be put on trial - not the journalists," el-Abrashi told reporters at the courtroom.
About 800 journalists, civil rights activists, and lawyers crowded into the small court room Sunday to express support for the accused.
The trial judge adjourned the proceedings to let defense lawyers study the case. The next session is scheduled for Sept. 16.
The trial follows disciplinary hearings this spring of Judges Mahmoud Mekki and Hesham el-Bastawisy for telling the press that some judges supervising polling stations condoned fraud. They said they had documents proving their claims, but did not make public any names.
In May, the board reprimanded el-Bastawisy but cleared Mekki.
Hundreds of protesters expressing solidarity with the judges were arrested in April and May. Many remain in custody.
Several journalists have been sentenced to prison in recent years for libeling senior government officials or for publishing false information, but none is currently incarcerated. In some cases, the sentences were suspended at the request of the plaintiff after the publication apologized.
MyWay
I hope Zeyad is reading.
posted by madtom at 1:25 AM
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